Mother Who Burned Down Home Gets Probation

July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.


The Pierceton mother who burned down her family’s home after a fight with her husband in March will serve no jail time.

Callie F. Deeter, 43, was sentenced to 1-1/2 years on probation today, after Kosciusko Superior Court Judge Duane G. Huffer accepted a plea agreement with prosecutors that dropped a felony arson charge and convicted her of Class D felony criminal mischief.

Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department deputies were called just after 10 a.m. March 3 to a home at 5563 CR 750S, Pierceton, after Deeter’s husband, Rick Deeter, reported he was concerned his wife was damaging property at the couple’s home and he could no longer reach her via telephone, according to an incident report.

When officers arrived, they found Callie Deeter in the driveway watching smoke rise from the back side of the home, the report said.

Police called in the Sidney Fire Department, then the Pierceton, Claypool, Winona Lake, South Whitley, Silver Lake and North Manchester fire departments as the fire began to engulf the residence.

Deeter was subsequently booked and charged with felony arson.

In court today, Deeter’s counsel, David Kolbe, told Huffer that the blaze was lit in a heat of passion due to the fight with her husband, and was not for financial gain and left no victims. Kolbe said Deeter had been under “great stress” and she mentally “broke down.”

Kolbe said Deeter had entered herself into counseling following the incident.

A tearful Deeter apologized for the crime, and pledged to right her convicted wrongs.

“I am terribly sorry for everything that has happened,” said Deeter.

“I can’t make this right, but I want to try to make this as right as I possibly can.”

Before making his ruling, Huffer chastised Deeter for letting emotion take a front seat over her parental requirements.

“You were seeing red, not thinking,” said Huffer. “You were still a mother. You burned down your kids’ house.”

As part of Deeter’s probation, she will be forced to continue to undergo counseling.[[In-content Ad]]

The Pierceton mother who burned down her family’s home after a fight with her husband in March will serve no jail time.

Callie F. Deeter, 43, was sentenced to 1-1/2 years on probation today, after Kosciusko Superior Court Judge Duane G. Huffer accepted a plea agreement with prosecutors that dropped a felony arson charge and convicted her of Class D felony criminal mischief.

Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department deputies were called just after 10 a.m. March 3 to a home at 5563 CR 750S, Pierceton, after Deeter’s husband, Rick Deeter, reported he was concerned his wife was damaging property at the couple’s home and he could no longer reach her via telephone, according to an incident report.

When officers arrived, they found Callie Deeter in the driveway watching smoke rise from the back side of the home, the report said.

Police called in the Sidney Fire Department, then the Pierceton, Claypool, Winona Lake, South Whitley, Silver Lake and North Manchester fire departments as the fire began to engulf the residence.

Deeter was subsequently booked and charged with felony arson.

In court today, Deeter’s counsel, David Kolbe, told Huffer that the blaze was lit in a heat of passion due to the fight with her husband, and was not for financial gain and left no victims. Kolbe said Deeter had been under “great stress” and she mentally “broke down.”

Kolbe said Deeter had entered herself into counseling following the incident.

A tearful Deeter apologized for the crime, and pledged to right her convicted wrongs.

“I am terribly sorry for everything that has happened,” said Deeter.

“I can’t make this right, but I want to try to make this as right as I possibly can.”

Before making his ruling, Huffer chastised Deeter for letting emotion take a front seat over her parental requirements.

“You were seeing red, not thinking,” said Huffer. “You were still a mother. You burned down your kids’ house.”

As part of Deeter’s probation, she will be forced to continue to undergo counseling.[[In-content Ad]]
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